Is Classism the New Blackism.......

Is classism the New Black, and is black still the old black? It matters not whether class is the more predominant structural feature in which oppression and inequality are reflected in contemporary American society. And so it is ---- that they (race and class) are in fact the alternating arm of the same beast. A Term that I feel explains this conceptual thinking is according to Bell Hooks, Author of the Book "Aint I A Woman: Black Women and Fenminism is defined as: "White-supremacist—capitalist—patriarchy":  White Supremacy Meaning: a society that is ideologically structured with a preferential belief in the superiority of white Americans. Capitalist: Meaning the economic system in which the society produces its wealth, goods, products and services. Patriarchal: Meaning, the domination of men over women. While Patriarchy defines the superiority or rule of men over women, it is more the case that in America this term is most often used to refer to white men.

Questions of the significance of race in a society that is becoming more and more delineated along the lines of class and economic advantages and disparities ( not just income inequality, there are two different things) are becoming more commonplace beliefs held by more and more Americans, and increasingly more and more---Black Americans. It is widely accepted that education functions as the mediator (control mechanism) of race, class and economic inequality in a system that believes and practices upward social mobility. However, where you have poverty, under-employment and crime, the quality of schools, teachers--the educational philosophies and the output of those schools will be severely handicapped. Education then---- cynically becomes an obsolete institution that reinforces inequality.

William Julius Wilson put forth a framework for understanding this “New Black” reality that was materializing out of the post Jim Crow and segregationist era: Which was Class --and the language of its attitude: Classism. In Wilson's book: The Declining Significance of Race: He argues that in post segregation-- class is more significant than race in determining ones life chances and life choices.

Wilson’s explanation of Social Dislocation said--- as a result of desegregation and integration, large numbers of educated and professional African Americans with sufficient income left the impoverished neighborhoods in search of a more mainstream accessible American lifestyle. As a result of this massive migration-- children were left without enough positive role models in their communities, decreases in black marriage numbers rose, as did increases among single-mother headed households This was compounded with the disappearance of factory jobs and other blue-collar employment opportunities. As John Iceland discusses in his book Poverty in America--- referencing Wilsons work Iceland states: “As a consequence the neighborhoods they left became even poorer when their economic vitality was drained. The result was neighborhoods whose people were increasingly socially isolated and faced a shrinking job market, hence-- an increase in concentrated poverty."

Now remember--- that this book was published in 1980, and although the work is 30 years old next year, in this time, in this hour, in this country those conditions mentioned above from 30 years ago still persists today. With the sustained momentum of poverty, and the legalized aspects of racial discrimination that was outlawed in the Civil Rights Act of 1964/65--- class disparities have become the manner in which we define the "New Black"

I disagree with this ---It is not a matter of ----is it Race or is it Class. The question is misleading and this is why.

(1)     Class does not decrease or supersede the significance of race, especially for those that have used race systematically in this country to kill, oppress, enslave and subjugate Native Americans and Blacks. For them  whether intended or not---race becomes---the unconscious way in which they (the ruling class) evaluate, compare and measure their implicit belief and explicit behaviors of their superiority over others. So race lays the foundation upon which all other forms of social exclusion, oppression and inequality are modeled, executed and understood. This includes class

(2) Class does not decrease the significance of race in the self-concept and self-understanding of Black people. BUT….classism does serve as a "stop-loss" or "insurance policy" for the continuance of in-group / out-group and race based discrimination. Classism-- by default is a contingency, a back-up plan if you will. We know very intimately and understand very well, that for us as African Americans, many of us are gifted the Happy Hour 2-for-1 special. And yet a 3-for-1 manager's special for Black women: We women get race, class and sexism...ooohhhh I cant wait!

Rather these facts are just a coincidence or more likely--- by design is ultimately inconsequential. The absolute value remains the same    = Power, denial, disenfranchisement, and exploitation...whether of the poor whites or of poor blacks and other minorities ----this is still creating and reaking havoc! Many will get through the maze, however in porportion to our 37 million population size--- you get something that does not in reality reflect the truth of America being as African American U.S Congresswoman from Texas-- Barabra Jordan said, "as good as it promise." Compare the numbers of our successes to ALL Black people in the world, and the numbers become even more distressing.

(3) Class does not have to remain stable over time. A class based system is portable for the people in it, granted if they are able to fully mobilize and actualize the education, tools, resources and skills to compete, produce and build. So, the degree to which a poor white person may not receive an adequate education or access to resources (family wealth, valuable connections), is completely dependent on his class, not his race. He will never have to compete against his own humanity or his own identity. An African American with a high class status, who makes lots of money and lives in an upper-class neighborhood---may still find it difficult to hail a cab, not be followed around a store, or not be stopped by the police because of his or her racial caste   (social group). Blackness can not be transcended, economic status and class levels can be.

(4) Class mobility allows Blacks to pursue individual achievement, compete in the marketplace of ideas and work to cultivate their material world ---which is the seduction of the American dream. Therefore, we are valued as individuals in terms of what we can produce for the capitalist economy, in which we earn money and begin to experiment---- in time and space in the gravity-less environment of mobility---- this = the Class factor. However, socially we remain eternally locked in our Blackness where we are subjected to unacknowledged, unknown or unenlightened prejudicial attitudes which may directly affect our ability to experience class flexibility. Being denied a promotion, a scholarship, or a small business loan based on prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory practices effects ones chances for economic prosperity and thus limits the full benefit that can be afforded to an individual based on class status or class aspirations. This = the Race factor.

Lastly, the idea of a missing middle class community in black neighborhoods is an important observation--- and the implication and impact from this lack of presence in poor neighborhoods does affect how we imagine the possibilities for our futures and what we use as reference groups or models. However, Blacks have found it increasingly difficult to open businesses in their communities, as a result of the middleman or model minority (example: Asian owned businesse) monopoly on goods and services that are important to and within the black community, like Korean owned Black Hair Care stores, and discount clothing outlets. Redlining which denies services, resources, jobs and economic development opportunities to potential Black entreprenuers, business innovators and residential and commercial property ownership opportunities--- are imposed on black communities---- as well as the abuse of predatory lending and banking strategies. This in effect sections off areas and deems them univestable, or undevelopable. This gives rise to crime, poverty and communitiy wastelands. These practices severely undermine black communities. Gentrification, is where wealthy people (usually non-black) come into poor neighborhoods and are given preference over other qualified people in those communities--to own the properties, homes and businesses in those communities--- these opportunities are typically denied to Black people in favor of White or other immigrant minority groups. They then are able to buy up the property cheap, renovate, sell the property at a higher value and turn significant profits.

Yea, I know some you just said, well what’s the big deal, isn’t that called flipping property? Yes it is. However, the problem comes from the fact that when wealthy buyers are able to come in with lending preferences from banks and are allowed to purchase property, and repurpose them to fit their agenda's, they deprive the communities of services, and ideas that are important to those communities. They destroy the collective, shared and historical identity of those communities--- that have been central to the neighborhood, their cultural traditions and their sense of plurality and connectedness----in much the same way Little Italy in New York and Chinatown in San Francisco maintain tightly-knit cultural enclaves. These "business people"--- fail to provide affordable housing, healthy places to eat, and safe places for children to play and so on. It’s called --Business Social Responsibility. So it’s a lot more detrimental then just flipping property. The decisions have implications for the families that make up the communities, the economies that could potentially grow up around vibrant urban areas, and the environmental impact that corporate, commercial and private development has on these communities.

Is Classism the New Blackism? Do You See A Difference?
Justice Speaks

Tyler Perry: Redefining Black Hollywood, or Perpetuating the Minstrel Show?

After decades of Hollywhite's portrayals and depictions of African Americans in film, television, stage-plays and other forms of popular entertainment; the emergence of Tyler Perry is redefining the “New Black” Hollywood. Perry is directly confronting the power structure of the corporate movie enterprises, scriptwriters, and production houses that have grown gluttonous and fat from the debased sensationalized non-sense that has been the “status quo” when it comes to producing movies in which “Black experiences” are created for popular culture. Black characters that have often only been afforded a few options, characters and roles that often situate blacks as uninspiring, ghetto, violent and over-sexualized stereotypes find comfort in having a space and a place in which dynamic, imaginative, complex and evolutionary stories, characters and messages can be packaged to audiences that will go a significant distance in reframing the cultural programming and perception of mainstream America.

Unfortunately the best of the “good ole ghost” of Willie Lynch’s past…you know…. the one with the crab claws, no courage and is afraid to leave the plantation?...Well the Ideal of what he represented is alive and well. Many critics have accused Perry of having no real talent. Crab Claw media and critics assert that Perry is simply perpetuating the Minstrel show; validating and reinforcing decade old notions and images of the Black emasculating Matriarch, glorifying the ghetto culture and the buffoon spectacle that has characterized so much of what is one dimensional and perceptually negative about African American historical identity. These crabs claim that; Perry’s movies will not reach outside the “comedic” realm of the black audience, and “chittlin” circuit as many whites simply don’t get the characters and stories in his movies and stage plays. The collective crabs also justify their criticisms by accusing Black people of having a double standard; asserting that if whites create these stories and characters…. that Black people would be all up in “indignant” arms….as they hurl cries of racism here and sexism there.

Let me explain something to you crabs…especially the Black crabs. First of all, every time HollyWhite attempts to tell these “soul stories”, they get them WRONG…..abysmally WRONG. They don’t consult African American scriptwriters, they don’t have intimate knowledge and understanding of the very complex, unique but shared experiences of Black people. This is particularly important when you are telling a soul story in which all the diverse identities of Black people, their thoughts and their experiences are present at once…..you know…like in real life. I know you crabs are like magnets and find it simpler to cling to one monolithic construction of black identity. But the joyous fact is that the Black family, the Black community, the Black man and the Black woman do inhabit real life spaces in the representations that Perry brings to light. There are Madea’s in our families. There are uncle Joe’s, there are wise Aunts, 90-year old Great Grandmothers, attorneys, blue collar workers, single mothers, children that seek to make it out if poverty pursuing careers in sports, the institution of the Black church, Black judges, front yard cookouts, court dates, rich people, poor people, good men, caring fathers, assholes, abusive mothers, absent fathers, loving mothers. We do get married, Black men do drive buses and limousines, good girls like “Rudy” do grow up and become drug addicts, we do ski, we do have CLASS…I mean I can go on and on. He has given a life, a role and….. an authentic voice to each one of these characters I have stated.

Tell me crabs, what exactly is your problem. Are you a prisoner of your one track mind? Is all you see when you see a Tyler Perry movie Madea…..or is that all you want to see? Tyler Perry does an EXELLENT job of showing all our complexities, struggles, triumphs and sorrows. He does more to paint a complete picture of Black life, in fact of American life then HollyWhite could ever do.

The fact is….. that many of the roles that "critics" have a problem with--- are the one and only roles that Black people portray in mainstream (white) films--- written, produced and funded by white people all the time, only you don’t get all the characters in one movie: You get reproduced static images, a token image…..and you have no problem of associating those negative images with perpetuating the minstrel show...so get of his back.

Oh yeah, this is my favorite….the one black high school kid in town, or the one black homegirl who dresses like a punk rocker, is race neutral (or so they would try to portray) and the time tested and true…..All American Black drug addict, bank robber, thug and cross-dressing homosexual. We have to get to the point where we stop idealizing one Black person who has power---- the responsibility of fighting the entire system. There is no such thing as the monolithic hero for all things that fight the “Man” and Black oppression: We have done it to Oprah, we are doing it to Obama, Tyler Perry, Condoleezza Rice…I mean the list goes on and on.

For the crabs who look for the difference between what Tyler Perry does and what Martin Lawrence, Eddie Murphy, the Wayans Bros, and others that some would define as" Minstrel" bring to the table …..IS……. that...Tyler Perry consistently gives you diverse representations, not just one static image of spectacle, emasculation, and matriarchal mammies. The Family That Preys, Daddy’s Little Girls, Why Did I Get Married, and Meet the Browns were good substantive films that told the stories we want to tell, not the stories that HollyWhite wants to see. And as it relates to the others, I can’t even say what they do is negative because they evolved into different people, telling different stories and (with the exception of Eddie Murphy, who cant seem to get enough of portraying obese Black women) these actors and film makers are not stuck pushing the same thing.

I absolutely Love and adore Martin and watch the re-runs of his show all the time. In Living Color created a space for a “Wanda” to subsequently portray Ray and win an Academy award 12 years later, for “Twon” to later portray a down to earth father of a mainstream American family on ABC--- for Jennifer Lopez to later be Tejano icon Selena, a fairytale Maid in Manhattan, and still stay Jenny from the Block.

You don’t hear white people complaining about how Jim Carey is perpetuating the “dumb white stoner” stereotype in every movie. Its comedy and they know it…we know it! They take it for what it is. Every movie doesn’t need to have a political message, doesn’t need to tell you to do something and doesn’t need to piss you off! Leave that to the Spike Lee's, as he does that and does it Damn well.

We all know Sheneneh, Jerome, Hustle Man, Bra-man, and Otis. We have encountered those individuals in our communities. That is what makes the Black experience so rich, so vivid, and so unique. As you read through the different blogs I have posted here, you are likely to experience 8 different women wrapped up into one. Tyler Perry has opened the first Black owned studios and production company in Atlanta, in which he named one of his film sets after our beloved Cicely Tyson. Thank GODDDD, 140 years after the abolition of slavery, Mrs. Tyson has finally been emancipated, received her Freedom Papers and no longer has to play the movie role of every black slave from women’s history.

Tyler Perry is creating opportunities for new actors and actresses, allows them to develop themselves, and also provides jobs for those whom he employs at his studios. That is the type of “real” stimulus we need to bring to our communities and the Black economy. So we need to look at the complete picture here.

I think we need to have a Crab Bake n Boil! Yummmmm
Justice Speaks!